First cabinet meeting of Naidu to discuss major issues today

Vijayawada: The first meeting of the state cabinet will be held on Monday. It would discuss major issues including fulfilment of the poll promises, restart of the Amaravati capital works, the Polavaram project and disbursement of the hiked social security pensions from July 1.

Chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has decided to release white papers on various departments to inform the public about the real situations of various sectors.

The cabinet meeting would be held at 10am in the First Block of the Secretariat at Velagapudi, Amaravati.

After assuming charge as CM, Naidu signed five files to fulfill the TD’s poll promises. These would require ratification from the cabinet before the necessary orders are issued. The five files related to the mega DSC, enhancing social security pension from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000, withdrawal of the AP Land Title Act, revival of Anna Canteens and holding of a skill census.

According to sources, the cabinet would give its consent for these five decisions.

Naidu concentrated attention on Polavaram and Amaravati. He personally visited Polavaram announcing Somavaram (Monday) as Polavaram to conduct a weekly review every week. He held the YSRC government responsible for the Polavaram project’s drag and decided to revive the construction works.

Chandrababu inspected all the pending structures in Amaravati and is attempting to restart the capital construction works. CM Naidu and minister for urban development Ponguru Narayana said around one lakh crore is required for Amaravati constructions.

Tenders need to be recalled after a review of the statuses of the structures. Mobilisation of funds for the capital construction is a Herculean task.

The cabinet meeting would discuss the Polavaram project and Amaravati situations in detail and decide on the future plans.

The cabinet would also discuss implementation of the free bus travel facility for women. Transport minister Ramprasad Reddy announced that this facility would begin within a month and that a committee will be formed within 15 daysto study the system being implemented in the neighbouring states.

Proposals have been collected from various departments on the topics to be discussed in the first cabinet meeting.

The cabinet is also likely to discuss the issue of investigating the “corruption” that happened during the YSRC government’s term. The Jagan government had registered cases alleging corruption and illegalities in the Amaravati lands insider trading, the skill development scam related to the previous TD government, etc. Similarly, the present TD government is like to take similar decisions against the YSRC term.

The cabinet is also likely to discuss the volunteer system. Naidu had promised to hike the volunteer honorarium to Rs 10,000 per month from Rs 5,000. Some volunteers lodged complaints against the YSRC leaders, saying they forced them to resign.

The TD government is planning to change the names of some welfare schemes. This too might come up for discussion at the cabinet meet.These apart, the chief minister would discuss the economic situation of AP with his ministers.